The Art of Forbidden Love
by missyme48
Summary: 'Her beauty was almost tangible, like a warm gentle glow that seemed to radiate off her.' Pre-series


**Disclaimer:** I don't own leverage.

Nate felt like dying.

Heck, being tortured would be less painful than this. He was standing in the corner of the exhibition room that gave him a view of everything that was going on. Around men and women were making small talk about how expensive this, that and the other had become. The only thing that made this evening bearable was the fact that Sophie was going to be here, trying to steal something of course.

"Sir?"

Nate looked up from staring at the ground. A waitress was standing in front of him with single glass of champagne on a tray.

"A woman called Sophie told me to give this to you and to meet her in the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition."

Nate nodded and took the champagne and sniffed carefully (you could never be too careful with Sophie) and his way downstairs. When he got there, Sophie was standing in front of a painting of a woman in a boat with flowers all around her. She was so still that Nate feared she had stopped breathing.

"I see you got my message," Sophie said without taking her eyes off the painting.

"Pre-Raphaelite. It's interesting choice."

Sophie nodded. "It was here that I first fell in love with art."

"Enough to steal it." It wasn't a question, it was an accusation.

"Relocate," she corrected, "and I haven't taken anything." She turned all her attention back to the painting and Nate knew their conversation was over. He also knew he should be getting back to keep an eye on the necklace Sophie had an expressed such an interest in but he just couldn't seem to leave her.

Nate placed the champagne flute on the bench and came to stand beside her. He was standing closer the he should; he could smell the strawberry undertones in her perfume. Sophie smiled slightly but he couldn't tell whether it was because of the painting or because of his proximity to her. Sophie Devereaux was a puzzle but she was a puzzle worth solving.

Nate stared at her, drinking in the sight of her as is it was the last chance he might ever get to do so. Her beauty was almost tangible, like a warm gentle glow that seemed to radiate off her. Nate could tell that whatever affect the painting had had on her had worn off and she was now playing one of her games.

Sophie smiled again but this time it was a taunt, _how long can you keep string at me for?_ After a few minutes she got her answer: Forever. Nate could happily stare at her for the whole night if she let him.

"It's a lovely painting, isn't it," Sophie asked. She turned to look at him and he saw how bright the sparkle in her eyes was.

"Yes," he agreed. His voice was deeper than usual, causing a chill up her spine and his eyes were looking so deep into hers, Sophie was sure he could see her brain. If he was trying to make her melt like an ice-cream on a hot summer's day, he was doing a good job. His hand reached up to brush a stray piece of hair back behind her ear and it stared there longer than necessary.

"I take it we're not talking about the same piece of art."

"No," he whispered. Nate cupped the right side of her face and Sophie leaned into the warmth of his touch.

Nate started to lean in slowly giving Sophie time to pull away. Even though every part of her was screaming at her not, she started to lean in too and soon she found herself kissing Nathan Ford. His lips were soft and warm and she could taste the champagne mixed with the scotch he'd had earlier. It took until he had his hands on her waist did the part of her with sense return and she pulled away. How could she have been so stupid? Sure she had dreamed of kissing Nate ever since she'd met him, but he was married. It wasn't right.

"Nate, we can't do this. Alright, you're married and you have a son. And I may be a con-artist but I do know the difference between right and wrong and what we just did was wrong no matter how right it felt."

Nate nodded. She was right. He was married and the reality of that hit him like a smack in the mouth. How could've been such an idiot? He felt like slapping and kicking himself several times over. Nate sat down on the bench beside her and turned to look at her.

"Nate," she continued, "I love you, you know I do, but I couldn't live with myself if I knew I reason that Maggie and Sam got taken away from you. Ma-"

"Sophie," Nate interrupted," It's Ok. I was wrong can we just leave it at that and forget about?"

"Sure." Sophie stood up, smoothed out her dress and held out a hand to Nate. "Now, Nathan, I do believe we have a party to get back to."

"Do we have to?"

Sophie laughed and rolled her eyes. "Yes we do. Now, c'mon. Up!"

Nate accepted her hand and Sophie reached over to straighten his tie. Their eyes met again and he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"Thank you, Sophie."

"Always. Now I need to get back, Albert would be wondering where I am."

"Who's Albert?"

Sophie shrugged and winked. "No-one."

Nate laughed as she walked away and stared until her red dress had disappeared. Sophie Devereaux was an enigma, alright. But she was a beautiful, like abstract art.


End file.
